Boat lift winch drive unit

ABSTRACT

A convenient power assist system for operating conventional boat lifts is disclosed which have manual wheel-operated mechanical winch lift systems or hoists. The system of the invention is designed to directly address and turn a mechanical wheel of such a system using the spokes of the wheel.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a non-provisional application of Application No. 60/972,864, filed Sep. 17, 2007 and claims priority from that application which is also deemed incorporated by reference in its entirety in this application.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a power assist system for operating a conventional boat lift or hoist system that includes a manual, wheel-operated winch. More particularly, the present invention concerns a convenient power assist system that may be selectively employed to operate directly on a manually-operated wheel of such a system.

II. Related Art

Boat lift or hoist devices have been extensively used in private boat slips in which fishing boats, pontoon boats and other types of boats generally owned by individuals are raised and supported when not in use. Typically, a boat lift includes four spaced upright corner posts and a vertically movable platform which is suspended from the posts. A manual mechanism is provided for raising and lowering the platform using a gear reduction and winch system which is operated by a manual crank normally in the form of a rotatable wheel. The wheel typically has the appearance of a steering wheel and may be 3 to 4 feet in diameter for increased leverage.

There are also boat lifts with power drives available which typically run on a.c. house current which are operable generally from switches accessed from a dock. There have been attempts to apply power to assist the rotation of circular boat hoist winch-operating wheels of manual boat lift systems. They include devices disclosed in Stenson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,011) and Godbersen (U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,821). These devices, however, operate by friction against the wheel and are subject to slippage and wear. In addition, those devices employ rather complicated mechanical systems in order to apply and keep pressure between a drive wheel and the boat hoist wheel.

Accordingly, there remains a need for a simple mechanical system to selectively provide a power assist for operating a conventional boat lift operated by a manual wheel-operated mechanical winch system. It would be a further advantage if the system did not rely on a friction drive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

By means of the present invention, there is provided a convenient power assist system for operating conventional boat lifts or other devices which have manual wheel-operated mechanical winch lift systems or hoists. The system of the invention is designed to directly address and turn a mechanical wheel of such a system using spokes of the wheel.

One embodiment includes a reversing electric motor and an elongate tool or drive arm mounted to be rotated by the motor shaft. The drive arm further includes spaced sets of spaced tine members attached to the drive arm generally toward the ends thereof and extending away from the motor. In this manner, when the motor carrying the drive arm is selectively advanced toward a manually-operated boat lift or winch wheel, it is designed to be aligned with wheel spoke members or the like so that the sets of tines straddle the spokes and enable the drive arm to positively rotate the wheel in either direction without the need for a friction drive.

The power assist system is carried by a support structure which is designed to be carried, in turn, by a post or support leg which may also support the wheel of the boat lift or hoist to be driven. The power assist system of the invention includes a support structure assembly removably secured to the wheel support post, preferably by a clamping assembly. The support structure assembly includes a plurality of tubular members in securable, sliding relation to each other, which enables the motor position to be adjusted and fixed in relation to the center of the wheel to be driven regardless of its height or whether it is located to the right or left of the support post or leg. In addition, the motor is mounted in a manner that allows a motor support member to be moved toward or away from the wheel to be driven so that the tines of the power assist unit can selectively engage or be disengaged from the wheel to be driven easily as desired.

The power assist system of the invention is preferably energized by a conventional 12 volt storage battery such as an automobile battery that can occasionally be recharged as needed. The battery is preferably carried in a battery frame of the same size, possibly a 24 inch frame or the like, which may be mounted to a member of the support structure assembly or to the boat lift frame itself. A sealed battery box may also be used with a mounting plate. The battery is, in turn, connected to the motor which may be any heavy duty, weather sealed direct current motor having sufficient output torque to operate the wheel which already is connected to the lift through a gear reduction system in connection with manual operation. An example of one such motor is a 1500 pound 12 volt DC electric ATV Sport Winch motor obtainable from Master Lock Company LLC of Oak Creek, Wis.

In addition, the system may be controlled as by using an attached remote control rocker switch connected to the motor and battery which may be stored on the power assist unit as by using hook and loop strips so it can be conveniently removed and the boat lift operated from either the boat or the dock. In addition, a “hands off” operating system may also be included as an optional means of controlling the system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters depict like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a view of a power assist system in accordance with the invention including an operator with a remote control;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the power assist system without the operator as seen from the right side;

FIG. 3 is a view of the power assist system of FIGS. 1 and 2 as seen from the left side;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the power assist system showing the motor and drive arm addressing a manual wheel;

FIG. 5 shows a detail of a battery support frame; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view showing a remote control device and C clip for holding the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description that follows presents the particulars of one preferred embodiment of the invention which is meant by way of example and is not intended to limit the scope of the inventive concept in any manner. It is believed that variations and modifications may occur to those skilled in the art which remain well within the scope of the concepts of the present invention. Thus, the power assist system of the invention can be used to operate devices other than boat lifts, for example.

FIG. 1 represents a picture of an embodiment of a power assist system in accordance with the invention, together with an operator 80 utilizing a hand-held remote control device 70, as will be described. Details of the system are also shown in conjunction with FIGS. 2-4, which depict several views of an assembled power assist system in accordance with the invention. The system includes a d.c. electric motor 10 which is utilized to rotate a drive arm 12 which, in an operating disposition, engages a normally manually-operated hoist or lift wheel 14 using pairs of spaced tine members as at 16 and 18 which overlap and engage spoke members 20 and 22, respectively. The drive arm 12 may be slightly arcuate in shape, as shown in the figures, and is attached to and rotated by the motor output shaft. A locating pin 24 is fixed to the middle of the drive arm which is designed to be centered on the lock bolt of the manual lift wheel as shown at 26 in FIGS. 3 and 4 and thereby align the drive arm with the center of the winch wheel.

As can be seen in the figures, the manual lift wheel 14 is carried by a main post or leg member 30 in an off-center position. As illustrated in the figures, the center of the hoist or lift wheel 14 is mounted in an offset position somewhat to the right of the post 30. Other lifts or hoists may have the lift wheel mounted to the left of the post. The power assist system of the present invention is carried by a support structure which is designed to be carried by the leg or post 30 and includes three main tubular sections, namely, a first horizontal section 32, a vertical section 34 and a second horizontal section at 36, which directly supports the motor and drive arm. As shown in the figures, and best shown in FIG. 3, the horizontal tubular member 32 is attached to the support post or leg 30 by a clamp system including a foot plate 40 welded to the horizontal member 32 and a clamping plate 42, which is used to clamp the member 32 onto the post 30 using threaded connectors such as bolts 44 with nuts 46. Of course, the height of the clamping arrangement connection can be varied in order that the assembled system, including the motor, will be mounted at the proper height to drive the lift wheel 14.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the vertical leg or tubing member 34 is fixed as by welding to a short sleeve member 48 which, in turn, is sized to just slide over the member 32 and may be fixed in any relative position as by locking bolts 50. The upper end of the member 34 is further attached to a relatively short tubular section 52 into which the horizontal tubular member 36 is slideably mounted. The tubular member 36 also can be fixed into any desired position relative to tubular section 52 as by locking bolts 54 in the raised section 56. Likewise, member 48, as seen in the figures, also contains a raised section 49 through which locking bolts 50 are adjustable. The motor 10 is, in turn, bolted to the horizontal member 36.

In this manner, the height and horizontal position of the motor can be adjusted exactly so that the locating pin 24 in the middle of a drive arm can be precisely centered on the lock bolt of the manual lift wheel. The relative motion allowed between the horizontal member 32 and the vertical member 34 by the adjustment of tubular member 48 enables the entire power assist system to be moved forward into the drive position or pulled back so that it does not engage the spokes as at 20 and 22 of the manual lift wheel 14.

A battery box 60 is shown carried by a battery frame 62 which is best shown in FIG. 5. As shown in the figures, the battery is wired to the motor and also to a remote control rocker switch device 70 as by conductors 72 and 74 as shown in FIG. 1. Of course, if the boat is already equipped with a battery, that battery can be used. As best shown in FIG. 6, the remote control rocker switch device may be attached as by a chain 76 to a C clip device 78 or, conventional hook and loop (Velcro) attachments can be used to secure the remote control to the power assist system when it is not being used.

The rocker switch 70 can also be provided with a device to enable hands-off use, if desired. The length of the wires between the remote control and the power assist system is sufficient so that the system may be operated either by a person on the boat 13 (not shown) or as shown in FIG. 1 by a person 80 standing on the surface of a dock as at 82.

This invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use the embodiments of the examples as required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different devices and that various modifications can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself. 

1. A power assist system for operating a conventional manual wheel-operated mechanical winch comprising: (a) an adjustable support structure configured to selectively address a conventional manual winch wheel; (b) an electric motor attached to said support structure; (c) a drive arm mounted to be rotated by said motor in a desired rotational direction and including a plurality of spaced wheel-engaging members connected to said drive arm for selectively engaging one or more spoke members of a manual winch wheel mounted on a support structure, the wheel having a relatively fixed location; (d) a source of power to operate the system; and (e) a control device to control the operation of the system.
 2. A power assist system for a winch wheel as in claim 1 wherein said support structure is adjustable to align said drive arm with said winch wheel and selectively move said wheel engaging members in and out of contact with said spoke members of said winch wheel.
 3. A power assist system for a winch wheel as in claim 1 wherein said adjustable support structure includes both generally vertical and generally horizontal adjustable tubular members in securable sliding relation and is attachable to a structure also supporting said manual winch wheel.
 4. A power assist system for a winch wheel as in claim 2 wherein said adjustable support structure includes both generally vertical and generally horizontal adjustable tubular members in securable sliding relation and is attachable to a structure also supporting said manual winch wheel.
 5. A power assist system for a winch wheel as in claim 1 wherein said wheel-engaging members are spaced pairs of tines connected to said drive arm designed to straddle spoke members of said winch wheel.
 6. A power assist system for a winch wheel as in claim 4 wherein said wheel-engaging members are spaced pairs of tines connected to said drive arm designed to straddle spoke members of said winch wheel.
 7. A power assist system for a winch wheel as in claim 1 including devices to secure said system in place as adjusted that are selected from locking bolts and clamping devices.
 8. A power assist system for a winch wheel as in claim 6 including devices to secure said system in place as adjusted that are selected from locking bolts and clamping devices.
 9. A power assist system for a winch wheel as in claim 5 wherein said power assist structure is designed to be carried by a common mounting post with said winch wheel to be operated.
 10. A power assist system for a winch wheel as in claim 1 wherein said drive arm comprises a locating member to facilitate alignment of the drive arm with a winch wheel to be operated.
 11. A power assist system for a winch wheel as in claim 1 wherein said motor is a high torque d.c. motor and said source of power is a 12 volt storage battery.
 12. A power assist system as in claim 1 wherein said control device is capable of being remotely operated.
 13. A power assist system for a winch wheel as in claim 1 wherein said winch operates a boat lift.
 14. A power assist system for operating a conventional manual wheel-operated boat lift comprising: (a) an adjustable motor support structure configured to be attachable to a conventional lift-operating wheel support; (b) an electric motor attached to said support structure; (c) a drive arm mounted to be rotated by said motor in a desired rotational direction and including a plurality of tine members for selectively engaging one or more spoke members of a lift operating wheel to turn the wheel in either direction; (d) a source of d.c. power to operate the system; and (e) a control device to control the operation of the system.
 15. A power assist system as in claim 1 wherein said control device is capable of being remotely operated.
 16. A power assist system as in claim 14 wherein said adjustable support structure includes both generally vertical and generally horizontal adjustable tubular members in securable sliding relation to align said drive arm with said lift-operating wheel and selectively move said tine members in and out of engagement with said spoke members of said wheel.
 17. A power assist system for a winch wheel as in claim 16 comprising said devices to fix said system in place as adjusted that are selected from locking bolts and clamping devices.
 18. A method of operating a winch wheel-operated boat lift comprising: (a) providing a power assist system as in claim 13; (b) selectively adjusting the location of said drive arm to engage a winch wheel; and (c) selectively operating said system to turn said winch wheel and raise and lower a boat. 